Overview

Each project gets a page where a team can bring together to-do lists, message boards, chat, a calendar, and card tables. This structure makes conversations and delivery work easy to associate with a project; it is less suited to teams that depend on automation rules, which Basecamp does not offer.

Key features

To-do lists support assignments, due dates, attachments, and subtasks, covering the core work of breaking a project into owned pieces. Hill Charts show progress, while Card Tables move work through stages. These provide two distinct ways to follow work, though teams wanting automated routing or transitions will need another tool.

Project calendars cover deadlines, milestones, events, and meetings, and can be subscribed to in Outlook, Google Calendar, and HEY Calendar. Client mode lets teams choose what clients can see on each project, a practical advantage when external contributors need access without sharing every internal discussion. Guest access and time tracking are also supported.

The integrations directory includes Zapier, Clockify, Harvest, and Unito. Basecamp also offers an API and CLI; ChatGPT and Claude connectors and full MCP support are described as coming soon. That makes it possible to connect or extend Basecamp, but teams should not choose it on the assumption that those forthcoming AI connections are already available.

Data in transit uses HTTPS, uploaded files are encrypted at rest, and database backups use AES-256 encryption at rest. Application databases generally are not encrypted at rest. Basecamp does not support SSO or SAML, and 37signals has not completed a SOC audit; its hosting provider's SOC 2 Type II report covers physical and environmental datacenter controls. Those boundaries matter for teams with strict identity or compliance requirements.

Pricing

The free plan costs 0.00 USD per free and allows 1 project, 1 GB of storage, and up to 5 users. It is a useful way for a small team to try a project space, but its single-project and five-user ceilings make it a poor home for ongoing multi-project work.

Freelancer costs 25.00 USD per month, with up to 3 active projects, 5 GB of storage, and 20 users max; it includes a 30-day free trial. It is the entry paid tier for a solo operator or small client-facing team, though the project and storage limits leave little room for a larger portfolio.

Studio costs 59.00 USD per month and includes up to 10 active projects, 25 GB of storage, unlimited users and tools per project, and a 30-day free trial. It is the more suitable tier for a growing team with several concurrent projects. Pro costs 99.00 USD per month for up to 25 active projects, 100 GB, unlimited users and tools per project, and a 30-day trial; it fits teams managing a broader project slate.

Unlimited costs 299.00 USD per month, billed billed annually, and includes unlimited projects, users, and tools per project, 1000 GB of storage, and a 45-day free trial. It is for organizations that need the highest stated capacity and can commit to annual billing. Paid plans list 24/7/365 support; Basecamp says it reads and responds to every support message, while noting response times may be longer than usual.

Platforms

Basecamp is available on the web, iOS, Android, Mac, and Windows, as well as through its API and command line. Teams can use it across desktop and mobile environments, while developers have an interface for building integrations.

Who it's for

Basecamp is a strong choice for client-service teams and other groups that want project discussions, task lists, schedules, and controlled client visibility in one project space. It is less appropriate for organizations that require SSO, application-database encryption at rest, or automation rules as part of their operating model.

Pros and cons

Pros: Project pages combine discussions, tasks, schedules, and card tables, keeping coordination attached to the work.
Pros: Client mode provides project-by-project control over what external clients can see.
Pros: API, CLI, and a directory of integrations offer ways to connect Basecamp with other services.
Cons: No automation rules, so teams cannot rely on Basecamp itself to automate work transitions.
Cons: No SSO or SAML, and application databases generally are not encrypted at rest, which can rule it out for some security policies.
Cons: The free plan is capped at one project and five users; lower paid tiers also limit project count and storage.

Alternatives

OpenProject is worth considering for teams seeking a freemium option that runs on Linux or can be self-hosted, with a free Community plan and community support. Hive offers a free plan across the same listed mobile and desktop platforms, with a stated allowance of up to 10 workspace members and 200MB storage.

Oracle Primavera Cloud offers paid cloud services for progress and task management. Planview AdaptiveWork uses custom pricing through an account executive.

Scoro is a paid option with a Time-billing plan at 17.00 USD per month. EGroupware is an open-source freemium alternative with web and desktop platforms.

Asana has a free Personal plan for one or two people managing personal projects. ClickUp has a free plan with unlimited tasks and unlimited free-plan members.

Compare more options in Work Management Software, Team Collaboration Software, Project Management Software, and Game Project Management Software.

Verdict

Choose Basecamp if your team wants a project-centered home for communication, assignments, schedules, and selective client access. Its clearest advantage is keeping those parts of collaboration together; look elsewhere if SSO, application-database encryption at rest, or automation is a requirement.

	Basecamp	PROJECT in a box
Free plan	Yes	No
Free trial	Yes	No
Paid from	$25/mo	—
Open source	No	No
Platforms	Android, api, iOS, macOS, Web, Windows	Web, Windows
Free plan	Yes	Yes
Automation rules	No	—
Time tracking	Yes	—
Guest access	Yes	—
Free-plan user limit	5 users	1 users

Basecamp vs PROJECT in a box

Basecamp

PROJECT in a box